Bed of roses
by shadows-of-flame
Summary: Torn receives a journal from the one he loves... In it he writes everything that has happened to him - from when he joined the KG, to when Erol was killed for good. Set before Jak 2 and beyond. The consequences become more dire, as Torn fills the journal.
1. The Journal

Bed of roses  
By shadows/of/flame

It may not seem like a Jak and Daxter story yet, but it is!

* * *

The ominous heat caused him to enter the room, and take his top off, the heat almost dripping down the walls.

He went and plopped into a seat by the table in the middle of the room, and buried his face in his hands.

She wasn't coming back today.

She would be with _HIM_, who stole his first girl off him, and now he was trying to woo the only girl he could keep by his side.

She was always faithful to him - why doubt her now?

_'They are just friends... they can spend time together right?'_

There was no point in moping over it for too long, he told himself, and burrowed under the sheets that lay soakingon the couch, only having been washed an hour ago.

The door slid open, in its usual stiff fashion, and a young girl entered, seeing the man lying face first on the couch.

"Torn... you aren't still dwelling on Jak and I's friendship are you?"

He was silent, not wanting to admit the truth to her.

"You are... theres nothing between us, I promise!"

Torn poked his head out from underneath the sheets, regarding that his t shirt was on the other side of the room.

"Torn... please... this is the reason Jak and I broke up... he was accusing me of cheating on him with Errol. I brought you something that may help you!"

She placed a wrapped up package on his stomach, and left him to open it.

Torn unwrapped a corner, and peeked inside.  
It was a journal, to write his feelings in.

He grinned as he read the inscription on the inside cover.

_'Dear Torn,  
I hope you use this well - you really need to get your feelings on paper. Start with your days in the Guard, and work through your life. Then, when you are finished, it can be burned and you can move on from those bad things in your life.  
Love always,  
Xoxoxoxoxoxox.'_

"I'd better get started." he murmured, stealing one of Daxters "Naughty Ottsel' branded pens, and started to write...


	2. Fire poker time!

Bed of roses  
By shadows/of/flame

How he got his tatts and the nickname.

Heres the next chappie - thanks to my 2 reviewers! This is dedicated to you. Enjoy!

* * *

_"I am here to tell you my story. It is a long one, so sit tight... It will take a while to tell, so stick with me the whole way, if you will..."_

-

It was a cold, bitter winters night as the hooded duo made their way downtown.

Torn shifted uneasily as he was lead to the tattoo parlour.He couldn't believe everyone in the Krimzon guard had to have tattoos! It was unbelieveable - but Torns theory to the tatts was bad.

The words of the Baron earlier that day were stuck in his head.

_"If you DARE betray the Krimzon Guard, and somehow get away, those tattoos betray you as a traitor and a murderer! So that is why it would be better to die for me! Instead of being shunned for the rest of your lives as the 'KG outcast'!"_

"How reliable is this tattoo guy?" Torn asked nervously, sidestepping his unimportant thoughts for those that were more current.

The man leading him there, whos face had been hidden until that moment, revealed his face to reveal badly done tattoos.

"He did these."

Torn gulped, the whole traitor theory coming back to him. He could back out then and now...  
But he knew the hooded man would sink 100 bullets into him before he took another step.

The two men reached the dingy tattoo parlour, and a large, flabby man greeted them at the door. Screams were echoing from a side room, and Torn gulped as he knew another poor, innocent person was being put through the hell of the _'wonderful'_ KG tatts.

"Back for more 'ey? Or giving me a newbie for his tatts?" The flabby man asked, his flabs asking the question as well.

The hooded man grinned.  
"Another one for the needle. This one." he said, shoving Torn forward.

Torn gulped as he was dragged away by the fat man, into one of the side rooms - the tattoo room -leaving the hooded man behind. There were heaps of large needles and ugly tattoos lining the walls, and the room stank of sweat and... something worse.

Seems it was a private KG tattoo parlour, it was even worse to wonder what the other smell was.

Torn was strapped into a chair which was slick with sweat, and the man grabbed one of the bigger, uglier needles and started the tattoos immediately. No alcohol swab or nothing.

The pain was burning right into the middle of Torns forehead, and it was almost unbearable.

Torn decided not to scream, and not to toss to and fro, or he would end up like the hooded man outside, with the ugly grotesque tattoos, tatts gone horribly wrong. An escort - only good for escorting newbies to the parlour, waiting for some poor fool outside as he went through the same pain.

_Was it really worth moving for?_

After a few hours of sheer torture, Torn was released from the seat, his forehead burning like a red hot poker.

The hooded man grinned as Torn left the stench that was the tattoo room,and Torn drew his hood over his face, hoping for his tattoosto notbe seen as the hooded man paid the money for the tatts.

"We're outta here, Tattooed wonder." He grunted, as he steered Torn out the door back to Headquarters.

And even though the man didn't know it...

The nickname "Tattooed wonder" stuck.

* * *

Whaddaya think? A short chappie, BUT they get longer! I promise. 


	3. Light at the end of the tunnel

Bed of roses  
By shadows/of/flame  
Chapter 3

Light at the end of the tunnel

If you enjoy my fics, I have 2 other Jak and Daxter ones - a yaoi, check out my first yaoi ficlet - Can't fight the twilight, and a TxK called Karigoya yabureme.  
Anyway, enjoy this chappie!

* * *

_'Heres the next major event... my first suicide mission...'_

Torn coughed as he pulled himself out of the tiny hole, blood splattering his clothing from various wounds.

"This is suicide!" he growled, ripping off his helmet to get some fresh air.

Praxis had sent them to the Strip Mine to kill some Metal Heads that were disrupting the cities eco supply, and someone had caved in the tunnel Torn had been working in. It had taken him 3 hours to get out, and now he was standing, covered in green and blue eco, and pissed off.

"Praxis set us all up!" Someone else groaned as they pulled themselves from a nearby hole.

"Cheer up everyone! Theres a banquet on tonight to celebrate our first mission - and the Governers Daughter will be there!" someone yelled.

There were several wolfwhistles, and cat calls, as if the men were already preparing themselves for her.

"Whoever gets her first wins everyones respect, and 10 Precursor Orbs!" the first guy yelled.  
Everyone agreed, but Torn secretly thought they were wasting their time.

"But... If we get caught with her, we get submitted to Dark Eco treatments!" Torn exclaimed.

Everyone fell silent.  
"You're a bullshitter, Tattooed Wonder. Just shut up, and get moving!" Errol sneered.

_'This was one of the worst parts of my career - working with Errol. He was the lieutenant in charge of all of us, and then I became Commander... more about that later. When I quit, he became the Commander... I wonder how they liked being bossed around by him?'_

Everyone murmured their agreement, and they waited for Vin to activate the Warp Gate so they could go back through to the city.

But Torn was bored out of his skin, and he climbed up the rockslide up to a small ledge.  
There were several eco wells there, and he ignored them to something else more in his favour.

A Warp Gate.  
That was turned on.

The only thing that crossed Torns mind as he jumped in was "Where is this taking me?"

-

"Get up! Now!" a female ordered, and Torn felt a gun pressed to his neck.

"Why are you here? What are you doing in my bedroom?"

Torn choked, small amounts of air entering his windpipe at different times.

"There was a warp gate... I was sick and tired of waiting for Vin to activate the other one, so I decided to see where this one led... I'm sorry!" Torn gasped, closing his eyes and waiting for the bullet to embed itself in his neck.

But it didn't come.

She set him upright, and ordered him.  
"Look at me!"

Torn raised his eyes, and saw she had red hair, tattoos and...

She was the Governers Daughter.

Torn gulped, but kept eye contact.

"Ahh... one of Errols men, I presume? Judging by the fact you were taken to the best KG tattoo artist, you must be in his squad."

Torn blinked at her remark. He loved his tattoos, sure, but no one had ever commented on them.

"The best?" Torn scoffed, "The guy that took me said that..."

Ashelin started to laugh.

"Oh you mean Atian? Hes full of it. He was in the worst squad - he doesn't want anyone to know, so he lies about it."

Torn smirked slightly.  
"Were you going to kill me?"

Ashelin growled.  
"I still can, if you don't shut up."

Torn kenw he'd be dead if he answered, so he shut up, and focused on the red head.

"Its time for the banquet... I want you to escort me there." Ashelin said, going into her wardrobe, and coming out with a sleeveless red dress on.

"Sure..." Torn stammered, taken away by her beauty.

_'And that was the first thing that stung me... Why did I ever fall for her? That was my biggest mistake ever.'_


	4. Escapade

Bed of roses  
By shadows/of/flame  
Chapter 4

_'The banquet... meeting Praxis in person... I wasn't ready for this.'_

Torn tried to take off his tie, but to no avail. It wouldn't come off.  
He cursed as it tightened its hold on his neck, almost choking him.

"This sucks!" he muttered under his breath as Ashelin entered the room.  
"Looking good. Now lets go!" she ordered, whisking him out the door and into a waiting limo-hover.

"But! Prax..." he started to protest. She silenced him, and ordered the driver to go.  
"We can't go without your father my lady. We are sorry."

Ashelin swore under her breath, and Torn knew he would cop it.  
"I tried to tell you..." Torn grumbled.

The vehicle shook as Praxis heaved himself in, and he immediately noticed Torn.

"What the hell is that rogue doing in here!" Praxis roared, making Torn want to jump out the window.

"... Hes my date for the dance tonight father." Ashelin said, slipping an arm around Torn.  
Torn nodded stiffly, and Praxis roared with glee.

"OK then! And if you don't take care of my daughter, you'll know about it!"

Torn nodded stiffly again, not wanting to think about how he was going to 'cop it' if he hurt Ashelins feelings. And he was Ashelins date now?

_'How things change... they astound you one minute, and become a reality the next.'_

The limo-hover pulled up at the venue, and Praxis clambered out, followed by Torn, who graciously offered his hand to Ashelin.

The 2 entered the banquet together, and all of the Krimzon Guards standing guard that night swivelled their heads around to see who was escorting the Barons daughter.

"Torn?"  
"Torn!"  
"Torn..."

Torns name was murmured many times throughout the hall, and he started to feel hundreds of eyes on him.  
His neck prickled with a feeling of uncertainty, and he grew uncomfortable.

Ashelin directed him to a seat, and he sat there, knowing everyone was going to watch his every move.  
Ashelin slipped her hand into his, and smiled at him.  
He smiled weakly back, and Praxis stood to make a speech.

"Welcome all! New KG, my friends, and my daughter, to this welcoming banquet. Of course, the KGs banquet is later, and for now they get to see us eat... Just kidding." Praxis smirked as laughter rippled through the crowd.

"I would like to welcome all the new KG to the squad - some of you are already showing talent beyond that of commanding officers. This feast is to welcome you here, so now, we shall eat."

The KG were lead out a side door, and Torn knew he was being sneered at from afar as his fellow mates left the room.

The banquet began, and everyone started tucking into the food with utmost grace.

Torn tried not to eat too much, as even though they were pretty much starved in the Guard, he didn't want to look like a pig, so he just took some roast yakow and some potatoes and ate them quietly.

Conversation suddenly erupted around him, and Torn was suddenly being bombarded with questions he had to answer. He answered as best he could, but the answers were enough for some, and they grew bored of the Barons daughters date.

Suddenly, Torn felt a prickling sensation on his neck, and a laser crosshair was sitting in the middle of his back.

He could feel it, and did a backflip off the back of his chair, shooting the person who was trying to kill him.

Chaos ensued in the banquet hall, with everyone running around like headless chickens, and in the middle of it all, Torn snuck out the front door and into the night...

Unnoticed.


	5. Renegade

Bed of roses  
Chapter 5  
By shadows/of/flame 

I'm on a roll!

* * *

He ran as fast and as far away from the banquet as he could, but suddenly realised the KG were hot on his tail. 

Torn heard them shoot in his general direction, but wasn't fast enough to dodge the bullet that embedded itself in his shoulder.

He let out a hiss of pain, and sank to his knees.

Ashelin ran up to him, gasping for breath, her dress having slowed her down.

"You shot him!" she yelled, snapping at the guards.  
They shrank away into the shadows, away from her glare, and ran off.

Torn could feel the blood seeping through his tuxedo, and gasped as cold air riddled the wound with even more pain, if were possible.

"Come back to the Palace, and we'll get that looked at." Ashelin hauled Torn up, over her shoulder, and started walking back to the Palace.

Torn was in utter pain, and nearly didn't even notice her attempt to carry him.

Ashelin lugged him on her shoulder the whole way, and they reached the Palace within minutes.

Torns face was loosing colour quickly, and Ashelin knew she had to hurry.

She removed the bullet herself as quickly and as painlessly as possible.

Torn groaned in pain, and Ashelin found herself apologising again and again.

"I can't stay in the KG." Torn grumbled after a few minutes of silence.  
Ashelin shook her head slowly.

"You don't have a choice! You have to stay!"

Torn remembered this, and groaned.

"You are being assigned to the new Dark Warrior prisoner tomorrow. You are expected to be there. Alive."

Torn just continued grumbling as Ashelin bandaged up his wounds.

"He is a very important prisoner - you MUST guard him with your life."

Torn realised exactly what she was saying.

"The dark eco experiment?" Torn gasped, becoming short of breath.

"Yes. The prisoner is of much importance, and can only be guarded bu the best to ensure he doesn't have any chance to escape."

"You make him sound like hes just one of the Barons lab test rats."

Ashelin nodded sadly. "Thats pretty much what he is. Hes the tester for this program. They'll experiment on him... until the program works, or hes dead. Simple as that."

A sick feeling nagged at Torns stomach.  
"Thats sick." he hissed.

A plan was formulating in his mind - what could he do to help this boy? He had a cruel fate ahead of him - Torn had to be able to help in some way.

Ashelin finished bandaging him up, and helped him sit up.  
"What happened at the banquet?" she demanded.

Torn knew he would have to tell her sooner or later, so he started...

Erol sneered at Torn as he entered the filth filled cells.  
"Can you stomach this, tattooed wonder?" he sneered.

Torn held his nose up in the air.  
"What? Did you think a bit of ECO and a GIGANTIC needle would freak me out?"

Erol "humphed" and went over to the needle, and the controls to switch the lethal object on with.

A frightened blond-green haired boy was strapped to the table, screaming and trying to get free.  
"How many eco injections has he had?" Torn asked.

Erol smirked.  
"Hes been here a year already, idiot. Stop being behind the times."

Torn ignored the comment, and could only watch in horror as Praxis flicked the switch, and Dark Eco started coursing into the boys body.

Praxis smirked, and turned to Erol.  
"I still want that rat FOUND! Search the whole city - this can't leak out to ANYONE."

Erol nodded briskly, and shoved past Torn to the door.

"You... boy. I want you to take this boy in 1 hours time and put him in the cells. Give him NO food - that will be provided later."

"Yessir. Understood."

Praxis left, and Torn immediately switched the vile machine off.

"Are you OK?" Torn asked the frightened boy, freeing him from his chains.  
The boy just stared at Torn as though he were some sort of monster that had just come out from under his bed.

Torn took off all the shiny KG armour, and stood the boy up.

"Do you have a name?"  
The boy nodded.

"Can't you speak?" Torn asked.  
The boy shook his head.

Torn took him to the cells, and gave him a decent meal.  
He knew he'd cop it later, but he knew the pain would be worth it.

The boy looked at Torn, and let out a faint smile.

"...Jak."

Torn smiled happily, pleased he had achieved something.  
"You're names Jak?"

Jak nodded, and Torn knew, in fact, was adamant that he was going to help this boy.

* * *

Short chappie, but theres a HUGE surprise coming up... It will startle you... 


	6. A light in an otherwise bleak situation

Bed of roses  
Chapter 6  
By shadows/of/flame

* * *

Cowering in the shadows didn't help the young boy from seeing the horror around him.

He winced as his saver, Torn, coughed and spluttered as Erol slammed him into the wall again.

All the air escaped from his lungs, and he winced as he tried to get some air back into his ravaged lungs.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU NOT TO HELP THE PRISONER? WHEN WILL YOU UNDERSTAND!" Erol roared, kicking Torn sharply in the ribs again.

"He needed... my help! He needed proper food! Hes not... just one... of your lab rats!" Torn yelled back, but all he got in response was a kick in the ribs, and a harsh slap across the face.

"DON'T ANSWER BACK!" Erol roared, smacking Torn again, drawing blood from his nose.  
"THIS COULD GET US BOTH FIRED! BECAUSE OF YOUR STUPIDITY, WE'RE BOTH IN JEOPARDY!"

Torn coughed up blood, and replied "I would rather... be fired... than live... knowing there was someone I could have... saved. Experimenting on another human being is... awful and... inhumane!"

Erol sighed deeply, and hit Torn over the head with the butt of his gun.

Torns ravaged body couldn't take anymore, and he collapsed face first onto the ground.

The other Krimzon Guards looked on to the torture, some snorting, before turning away, and others looking at their commander with grief and sorrow before turning away, back to their duties.

00000000

Torn was locked up in a cell for the night, his unconcious form casting a shadow over Jaks cell.  
The little boy wondered how it was possible to help the Krimzon Guard that had helped him, and eventually found a loose rock in one of the stone walls.  
He slowly and quietly pulled it out, and slipped through the new hole, making his way through to Torns cell.

When the patrolling KG were out of line of sight of Torns cell, and none of the other prisoners were looking, the small boy tended to Torns wounds and helped him recover, unconcious though he was.

A splitting headache greeted the KG commander as he woke up a few days later, still in the cell, with a small, damp cloth dabbing at his feverish forehead.  
He opened one eye blearily, and saw Jak smiling slightly at him.

"You... got in?" Torn whispered.  
The boy nodded, smiling slightly at Torn.  
"But... how? The doors are sealed shut!"

Jak pointed discreetly to the stone, which was back in the wall, but jutting out slightly so he could remove it and climb back through.

Jak had bandages as big as the Eiffel Tower on his chest and arms, but he was still smiling.

Torn, surprised at his own actions, cuddled up slightly to the young boy. It was a comforting feeling, to have another life there, like a light in an otherwise bleak situation.

Jak moved around until he was comfy in Torns arms, and fell fast asleep, he also enjoying the comforts of another human being.

Torn looked at the young elf, so asleep and, for once, serenely peaceful, not having a reason to be afraid.

_'I promised myself I would protect him, and even today, I look over him, even though it doesn't seem like it very much... I guess I treated him a lot better back then.'_

The older commander decided he needed a sleep too, and closed his bruised eyes, hoping the nightmare would end soon...

00000000

Heavy boots echoed against the cells, ricocheting around and making even more of an echo.  
As the sound reached Torns ears, he knew that he was in trouble.

"GET UP!"

Torn knew it was Praxis this time, judging by the amount of spit flying onto his face.  
Torn sat up slowly, arms aching from sleeping awkwardly on them.

Praxis grabbed Torn by the back of his collar, and dragged him out of the cell, Torns boots making a neverending screech as the metal toes were dragged along the damp concrete.

"Why are you in a fucking cell? Your troops are in disarray! FIX IT!"

Torn stumbled into his bedroom after Praxis had released him, wiping the spit off his face before speedily changing into his KG uniform.

"I really need to leave this place..." Torn groaned to himself, radioing Ashelin.  
"Where are my troops?" he asked.

Ashelin snorted.  
"YOUR troops? Torn, haven't you heard the news?"

"What?" Torn asked.

Torn swore that Ashelin was smirking.  
"Haven't you heard? Erols taken your place as commander of the Krimzon Guard... You've been demoted Torn."

* * *

Bit short, but thats teh mushiness bitfor ya. Big fight next chappie, and the big surprise is still to come :) 


	7. I believe these have been signed by the ...

Bed of roses  
Chapter 7  
By shadows/of/flame 

Bout time I updated. :D

* * *

The communicator was crackling and fuzzing, but Torn had no concious thought at this point in time. 

He was frozen to the spot, time having slowed for him completely.

Torn couldn't believe his long, pointed ears.

"De... demoted?" he choked, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible.

Ashelin nodded solemly.  
"Since you helped the boy, you've been demoted. Erols taken your place as commander. I'm sorry, Torn, but you knew you shouldn't have helped the Barons lab rat!"

Torn punched the wall, causing a crack, and a sharp pain to spread from his wrist to his fingertips.

"What was that?" Ashelin exclaimed, wondering what the cracking noise had been.

Torn smirked through the pain in his hand, dropping his communicator to the floor.

He had had enough, the KG was no longer home to him.

"Goodbye Ashelin." he smirked, raising his foot over the device.

"Torn? TOR!"

Ashelins screams were cut short by Torns foot "accidentally" connecting with the communicator, and he winced.

"What did I do to my hand?" he whimpered, watching his hands as though the ugly purple bruises were going to appear right in front of his eyes.

He wrapped his scarf tightly around it, wincing audibly at the pain.

How would he get out of the barracks without Praxis finding him and beating his skinny ass to a pulp?

He'd just have to be very, VERY quiet...

0000000

Praxis roared loudly as he was served some more wine at dinner that evening, Torn wondering if the sleeping pills slipped into his winewould work.  
The tattooed wonderwas hiding in the shadows of the dining hall, waiting for Praxis to fall asleep so he could sneak out.

Unfortunately, the exit was right by the dining hall, so of course Torn could not even just waltz out in a pink bikini and high heels or anything without getting caught.

Praxis' head fell onto his chest, and he started snoring loudly.  
Torn made a break for the door, and made it out just in time as the automatic doors closed.

He flung his Palace keycard into the fountain, wanting to leave all his horrible memories behind him, at the Palace.

Suddenly, a feeling of alone and hurt washed over Torn.  
He was all alone, unwanted by the KG, hated by his own troops, looked down upon by Erol.

His hand started to throb, and a dull ache echoed in his heart as he realised he had nowhere to go; without the KG he was completely lost.

The palaces automatic doors whizzed open, and Ashelin ran out of the palace, gun pointed at the back of Torns head.

"Just where do you think you're going?" she spat, cocking the trigger of her gun.

Torn coughed, eventually turning into a drychuckle.

With his uninjured hand, he held up his resignation papers.

"I believe these are legal resignation papers... signed by the Baron himself."

Ashelins eyes widened.  
"My father would never let a KG go, never! They stay in the KG until their death!"

Torn rolled his eyes, wishing she would see the Barons obvious plan.

"Ashelin, I'm leaving. The Palace, the KG... you... are all lost to me. What was done to the boy was unacceptable, and I won't tolerate it anymore. No one should be your stupid fathers lab rat."

He dropped the resignation papers at her feet, and she knew he wouldn't change his mind.

"... Please, consider staying... for me." she choked, grabbing his arm, futilely begging him anyway.

He looked her in the eyes, seeing despair kindling in her emerald pools.  
"I'm not sure I can ever forgive you, or the Guard Ash."

Ashelin sighed, and handed Torn a map.  
She pointed to an area in the slums, marked with a mask.

"Go there, and ask for Tess. She can help you."

Torn raised a non-existant eyebrow.  
"...Tess?"

Ashelin nodded, looking away from her former love.

"And by the way Torn... I can't love you anymore. I'm sorry."

Torn expected to hear that, but the words struck pain into his very heart.

He started walking away, far far away from his horrors, and hopefully, onto a new life, one hand wrapped tightly in a scarf, the other one holding the map that was going to lead him to "Tess".

Little did he know how much his future decisions would shape his future...


	8. Hurt you REAL BAD!

Bed of roses  
Chapter8  
By shadows/of/flame

* * *

_"Why can I only see purple?"_

The deep purple of Torns damaged hand clashed with the red scarf bound tightly around it and he winced inwardly.

The pain was overwhelming, but finding Tess and the resistance movement against the Baron was more important to the ex KG commander than a stupid hand.

As he walked through the desolate streets, he wished that he had healed his hand before he left, but there was no time for wishful thinking.

Yet he trudged on half-willingly, not wanting to glance back even if Ashelin sent a whole troop of KG guards after him.

The KG was his past, and he was over it.

As he rounded a corner, Torn recognised the distinct. familiar sight of the Slums.

Only a few months before, when for the first time in history, the shield wall had dropped, the Baron had lost so many men fighting for a section of the Slums, he pulled out, leaving the place to be destroyed by Metal Heads.

When the wall was re-programmed, the dead part of the Slums had been left out to preserve eco, and renamed Dead Town.

The tattooed wonder edged through the slums, ignoring the piercing stares coming his way, making the hair on the back of his neck prickle.

He had forgotten that he was still in his KG uniform when he left the Palace, and that might have been a deadly mistake.

Getting help from Tess was not going to be as easy as stealing candy from a baby.

In fact, far from it.

Torn was walking without thinking, and tripped over a protruding pipe sticking lazily out of the ground.  
Even though it had probably unearthed since the last earthquake, that tiny fact did not stop the string of curses coming out of Torns mouth as he fell flat on his face.

Trying to get up, out of the corner of his eye, he saw it...

A tiny, cracked concrete door with the very same emblem engraved onto it as the place on the map was marked with.

His heart raced slightly, and he walked slowly forward, wondering how he would open it.

Which was why he was so surprised when the door suddenly slipped open, and a scantily clad woman stepped out.

She took one look at him and screamed, grabbing her gun and aiming it at Torns armoured chest immediately.

"Shadow! SHADOW! Theres a KG here!" she hollered, backing slowly away from the ex commander.

"Wait!" Torn croaked, peeling off his armour, wincing as his hand brushed against the stiff metal. "I can explain everything - I am no longer a member of the KG."

The blonde girl glared at him and folded her arms across her chest as she listened to him, eyebrow raised stiffly.

"I quit the KG because they were torturing an innocent little boy. He was only about 16, and I couldn't bear to think what was going to happen to him... I need your help, please."

Torn wasn't used to begging, but he felt it was necessary to prevent this dangerous looking young rebel woman from blowing him to pieces.

"In what way!"

"I guess I should tell you my story..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"You're Tess right?" the brunette dreadlocked wonder asked, fearing that Ashelin had got it wrong.

"Yes, thats my name..."

"But I want to know one thing." The Shadow interrupted, stopping Tess from speaking.  
"Two in fact. One, where did you get a full city map from? They are almost as rare as Precursor orbs themselves. And two, who in the KG knows the location of the Underground well enough to send you here, and also not to rout us out?"

Torn looked away, his eyes narrowed in the pain of a horrible past.

"Oh! Your hand!" Tess gasped, rushing to get bandages and oil so she could bind it.

He hesitantly let her inspect it under the weak candlelight, and she shook her head in disappointment.

"Shadow, could you spare some Green Eco for this foolish KG?"

"I'm not a KG!" Torn exclaimed stubbornly, but his attention was drawn to the eerie glow now surrounding his hand.

"What... is this?" he gaped, looking at his hand actually healing in front of his very eyes.

"Its Green Eco. The Shadow is a Green Eco sage, able to cast it almost at will. Although, there is a limit to his powers." Tess explained, finishing binding Torns hand in silence.

She fastened Torns scarf back on, and the Shadow spoke.

"Tell us who told you to come here." The Shadow murmured, and the ex commander continued his story.

He had left out all of the last days he spent at the Palace, he had only told of the cells and the barracks.

Then it came to when he left, and the part with Ashelin...

He fell silent for a few moments.

"Her name is Ashelin. She is the Barons one and only daughter. We used to be quite close, but I ab... abandoned her when I left the Krimzon Guard. She is also the one that gave me the map."

The Shadow furrowed his brow, his eyebrows disappearing into the depths of his hair.

"The Barons own daughter wants to overthrow him? Something seems amiss here, but for now, welcome to the Underground."

"W... Welcome? To what?" Torn gaped.

Tess giggled, fondling Torns ears as the Shadow left the room, grumbling something about kids.

"What, have you not been paying attention?" she giggled, cleaning up the mess the Shadow had left and pinning their new city map, courtesy of Torn, up on the wall behind her.

"You're a part of the Underground now, an underground movement secretly working to overthrow the Baron. Everyone knows about us, not what we are doing, but we have reputations as rebels. Of course, no one knows our location either, so if you dare tell anyone..."

Tess flashed Torn a vampire smile, and left the room, her words lingering for moments after.

"We'll hunt you down and hurt you REAL bad! Oh, by the way, get a good night sleep, and be careful of your hand - duties start tomorrow."


	9. She didn't even let me thank her

Bed of roses  
Chapter 9  
By shadows/of/flame

Another chappie - Armageddon in 2 days. Yayses!

* * *

"So, first day of duty."  
The Shadow paused, looking briefly at Torn. 

"Whats my job?" the dreadlocked man asked out loud, hoping to be given a reasonably challenging job.

The Shadow sighed and propped his large, rather hairy feet up on the table, knocking off a stack of unruly maps that had previously tottered uncertainly upon the table.

"Theres a... on darn it..." the sage scrambled to pick up the fallen maps, and muttered Precursor swearwords under his breath.

"Theres some mechanic girl in the section by the racing stadium. She has been receiving death threats lately, so I want you to go down there and find out whats going on."

Torn nodded, remembering having smuggled a set of every city keycard out of the Barons bedside table drawer when he was asleep one night.  
The overly fat ruler, nearly rolled off the bed and squished Torn, but the poor commander just managed to escape with his life, narrowly missing out on a life of being fed through a tube.

"Thers an unmarked hover outside. Be on the look out for any Krimzon Guard, as I heard they are looking for you. Also, take care of that fricken' hover, as there is no easy way to replace ones you have damaged!"

The brunette nodded, and was soon on his way out the door, Tess yelling after him to not forget his pistol, and wrap up warmly against Haven Cities cold, etc etc etc.

It was indeed cold, and Torn was lucky that his trenchcoat was so warm.  
The Yakow fur helped keep him warm too, and that he was grateful for.

A storm was quickly approaching, and Torn squinted against the sudden rain as everyone ran quickly to the nearest shelter.

_'I hope I get there soon, its going to rain...'_

After a few minutes of walking completely soaked, Torn found a faded sign pointing to a garage.

He followed the sign in the hopes of finding a place to get shelter, and hopefully find this girl that was receiving death threats.

The signs eventually lead around to the side of the stadium, and Torn knocked cautiously.  
"Is anyone there?" He called, and a knife was immediately held to his throat.

"Who are you? What do you want?" the girl demanded, holding the knife closer and closer.

"Look, I'm Torn, an ex-KG. I only want to help you. The Shadow sent me, I'm with the Underground."

The girl sighed, and released her grip.  
"Look, I'm really sorry about that. I've just been so worried lately, I just..."

Torn closed the door behind him, not letting the cold get in anymore than it already was, and shook some water from his coat.

"There is no way you can go back home in this weather. I know we just met and all, but stay here the night."

He wasn't about to disagree, and she relieved him of his coat.

"I'm Keira, you may or may know that already"  
She whisked off into the kitchen to make something hot to keep them warm, and the soldier could only follow her, dazed by how amazingly happy she was despite the death threats.

"You seem exceedingly cheerful." the solemn man observed as she brewed a pot of tea with amazing grace and speed.

"Well, I have to do something to keep my hopes up; this city isn't exactly the most pleasant place in the world. After I lost my two best friends and my father, I was shoved into this dingy little place to work. And I've been working here ever since the KG captured my best friend, Jak. I have no idea whats become of him or his annoying talking rat Daxter."

Torn paused. "Jak you say? A little blond fellow, blue eyes, can't talk?"

Keiras green eyes were immediately on him.  
"You've seen him?"

Torn bowed his head. "Like I said, ex-KG. I quit because of the horrible things they were doing to the prisoners they caught..." he hung his head again.

"Jak was one of the ones experimented on."

Keiras eyes widened, and she gasped in utter shock, almost dropping the tea pot.  
"Believe me, I did all I could for him, even gave him my share of food for a few days, but for it I was demoted and beaten up by a fellow guard member."

She looked into his eyes, and her pain at losing her friend mirrored his own.  
"Look, I must thank you for helping him..." she murmured, not meeting the hard-asses gaze.

"Look, its fine..."  
He looked at her, surprised as she wrapped a blanket around his shoulders.

"What?" she asked. "Are you too hard-ass for a blanket?"  
He almost laughed at her quick wit.

For only having met about quarter of an hour ago, they were getting along quite well.

0o0o0o0

The two sat in the lounge for the remainder of the night, talking about the death threats Keira had been receiving.

Torn was making notes in his notebook as she spoke, nodding for her to go on as he finished each section of notes.

"Oh gosh! Look at the time!" Keira exclaimed, jumping up from her seat.

The two had been talking and recording for so long, that the clock in the corner now read 10:34pm, in other words, time to hit the hay.

The rain still hadn't ceased, and Torn was beginning to get rather cold and knackered from his eventful day.

"I am so glad - spare rooms with plently of blankets do come in handy! Come on, I'll show you to your room."

He dared not disagree, and Keira opened the door to a little, brightly coloured, warmly lit room.  
Torn found it to his taste, but as soon as he turned to thank the polite young mechanic, she was gone.

"Night Torn. Sleep tight." Were the only words he heard before the door down the hall slammed shut.


	10. First tears in a long time

Bed of roses  
Chapter 10  
By shadows/of/flame

I think its chappie 10... and KY chappie 18 is up!  
Enjoy.

* * *

He found he couldn't sleep that night, not being able to get the mechanic out of his head.

She was so polite, so keen and interested in the good things in life, and yet she was receiving death threats.

What was wrong with the world?

And yet, pure of heart though she was, she easily shut the door on him as though he were a bad Crocadog that had dribbled all over the carpet!

Maybe he acted like a Crocadog sometimes, but it wasn't his real intention...

Torn sighed, tossing and turning all night, the thoughts never leaving his head.

Had he done something to anger her? Didn't she trust strangers?

He snorted, disbelieving himself.  
Who DID trust strangers? He himself, hated them.

_"New faces make me nervous."_

The dreadlocked ex-commander eventually got up out of bed, being unable to sleep.  
The room was too small to warrant a balcony, even a chair to sit in and think, so he ventured out the door into the small hallway.

Cold chilled his bones, and he quickly seized the blanket he had used last evening to keep even slightly warm, as he walked towards the lounge.

Rain pattered noisily against the window, and lightning illuminated a figure that was lying on the couch, shaking.

"K... Miss Keira?" Torn questioned, moving closer to her.  
She screamed as another bolt of lighting hit, curling up in a ball and crying.

He immediately went over to her, placing an hand on her shoulder.  
"Excuse me, Miss Keira?"

"D... don't tease! OK!"

A puzzled expression crossed Torns face.  
"And why would I do that?"

"I... I hate lightning! OK?"

A smirk replaced Torns confused look, and he chuckled.  
"Tease you? I would never even consider teasing a lady."

A hot flush claimed Keiras face, and she glared at him angrily, pursing her lips.  
"There you go already! You're teasing right now!"

He chuckled softly, wrapping her blanket more tightly around her.  
"You need to sleep. Come on, theres no use in tiring yourself out over a little fear!"

She nodded slowly, closing her eyes.  
"Being afraid of lightning is... pretty stupid I must admit. But staying awake because of it..." she stifled a yawn, "has made me want to go to sleep even more. Night Torn."

She quickly fell asleep, and Torn took her to her room, not disturbing her as he tucked her into bed.

"You need to apologise now for treating me like a Crocadog..." he murmured as he left the room, closing the door gently behind him and getting back into his own bed, more thoughts swarming around his head than ever before.

0o0o0o0o0

He awoke to feather light touches caressing his lips, and he bolted up suddenly, wondering who the feather light touches belonged to.

But there was no one in sight, and Torn had to admit to himself he was slightly disappointed at the lack of person in his room.

Keira was making breakfast in the kitchen as he eventually got his butt downstairs, and she smiled softly at him.

"Good morning Sleeping Beauty. Did you sleep well?" she teased.

"Whats the 'Sleeping Beauty' comment for?" he smirked.

"Well, maybe that its lunchtime."

Torns eyes widened in shock - he was so dead.  
He was supposed to report to the Shadow early morning!

He slapped a hand to his forehead, and reached for his communicator, but it wasn't there.

Keira pursed her lips again as she slightly smiled.  
"I already contacted your "Shadow" and he expects you to report in later this evening instead. He was amused to hear about how you slept in."

Torns eyes narrowed slightly. The Shadow would give him hell for that later, that was definitely for sure.  
Not the sleeping in thing, rather the Sleeping Beauty comment.

"Have something to eat - you look like you starve yourself!"  
Torn lay his head on the table as soon as he was seated, looking blearily at Keira with one eye.

"Yeah well, A) we aren't given much to eat, and B) its hard to eat when every 5 minutes your boss gives you a fricken' suicide mission to do."

"Then why don't you stand up to him? I'm sure theres a few more people that could just as well easily take over, I mean, its not a one-man Underground now is it?"

He nodded, and she shoved a large plate filled with lotsa nice goodies towards him.  
"Eat as much as you like, its not like eating a lot is embarrasing or anything."

As he was about to protest, she grabbed his cheeks in her hands and gave them a little poke.

"No fun! You're supposed to have chubby cheeks!"

Torn looked at her as though she belonged in Haven Cities Insane Asylum, but she giggled.

"Do I have to spoon-feed you? I'll do whatever it takes to make you eat."

He raised a non-existant eyebrow, and began to eat.  
Keira was growing on him more and more every minute, even if she had coldly shut him out last night.

She ate her own share of the bacon, eggs, hash browns, sausages, toast and noodles that were perched in bowls and on plates on the bench, occasionally refilling either her or Torns glasses with orange juice.

The ex-commander could then admit, that he hadn't had this good a meal since his mother and father had died, leaving him an orphan right for the Baron to kidnap and make a Krimzom Guard.

For that was what the Baron had done - he stole away all boy orphans and raised them until they were old enough for the Guard, and sold away the girls as slaves.

The lucky orphans, like the Kings son Mar, were lucky enough to be taken in by a caring soul before the Baron got his paws on them.

But Torn had not been one of the lucky orphans.  
He closed his eyes, remembering the screams of pain as the metal heads ripped people apart, of the crying children wanting their parents, endless footsteps of the Krimzon Guard as they withdrew from what was now Dead Town, leaving hundreds of dying and wounded people lying everywhere.

A hand rested on his shoulder, and he jerked out of his flashback to see Keira peering anxiously at him.  
"Torn? Is something the matter? You're crying."

Torns fingers immediately went up to his cheek, and he wiped away the tears.

The first tears he had cried in 10 years.


	11. Gorgeous Beautiful Cute

Bed of roses  
Chapter 11  
By shadows/of/flame 

Oh, just as a note: I oweeight people cookies XD

* * *

_'God, how could I be so stupid as to cry? I haven't cried in... what, about 10 years.'_

He had gone to bed early that night, protesting as Keira asked him why, claiming he needed the sleep.

As if.

But even as he tried to sleep, metal heads killing, ripping, tearing, filled his mind, and whenever he closed his eyes he saw them, glaring out through the dark.  
Threatening to finish off what they had started.

Thunder and lightning rolled in the skies, and Torn curled up into a ball as the worsening weather became colder, the blankets not helping keep in much warmth.  
A sudden depression in the mattress occured beside him, and he rolled over, to see Keira clinging like a leech to his arm.

"Oh, oh! D-did I wake you?" she stammered, and the ex-commander shook his head, wondering why she was there.

"S... sorry, its just I, I'm afraid of..."

The young girl paused slightly,wondering what to say to the rebel.

"I'm afraid of, afraid if lightning..."  
_'I'm afraid, that I'll be alone. I don't wanna be alone anymore...'_

"You know? I... I didn't mean to wake you, I'm sorry!"

"I wasn't even asleep." Torn mumbled tiredly.

"Oh look, I'm sorry, I was just scared, I'll go..."

Torn shook his head slowly. "Its my duty to look after you, stay in here for the night. I won't tell anyone." he added as an after thought as her face screwed up, was it with distaste or pleasure at being allowed to stay?

She nodded, wrapping her arms around a surprised Torn.  
"Thanks...I owe you one Torn..."

In minutes she was asleep, and Torn gently pulled the covers over her, eventually falling asleep himself, and unconciously wrapping his arms around her too.

0o0o0o0o0

"Good morning Shadow sir. This is Keira; I brought her with me because--"

"Shes in more danger than we thought." the Shadow finished for him, and the rebels eyes widened.

"S... Sir?"

"Erols DEAD set on getting her as his mechanic, as he has seen what skills she has in the mechanics field. He is dangerous, as you probably know, and will do... goodness knows what to Keira. You have to protect her from him, or else, your life won't even exist, let alone be worth living!"

The old sage barked the last bit, and Torn closed his eyes.  
WHY did it have to be the loon Erol that had to be stealing her away?

Why couldn't it be a loon he could easily dump in Dead Town and no one would care less of their death?

If he killed Erol, EVERYONE would know, and soon enough, EVERYONE would know that it was Torn that had killed him.

The Baron would probably end up flinging him off the roof of the Palace for killing Erol, and cackling maniacally as his bones disintergrated into dust as he hit the ground.

"Fine. I'll protect her. Until I die."

The sage grinned. "Good to hear you are willing to put your life on the line for the Underground Torn! Now off you go; you have the day off to do whatever you want."

At the words "day off" Torn snapped out of his reverie.  
"D... day off?" he spluttered.

"Go now, before I change my mind." the old man grumbled.

If Torn wasn't such a hard ass, he would be jumping up and down with glee at that very second.

"So, what are you planning to do with your day off?"

He had forgotten about Keira, and looked into her sparkly green eyes as she continued.

"Um, I was wondering, if you weren't too busy... d'ya want to go and have lunch or something?"

She thought he would refuse, but Torns face lit up at the mere mention of lunch, and she grinned, linking her arm in his.

"Well then, where to good sir?"

"Surprise me." he smirked, just... enjoying her company.  
It wasn't often he had been invited out by ANYONE, except to get bad-ass drunk at the pub just to take home women as plastered as he was.

Which he had always declined.

As the day progressed, and lunch turned into wandering around the bazaar looking through the stalls, the dreadlocked ex-KG couldn't help but think if some of her happiness was rubbing off onto him.

"I'm gonna go and try on that dress! Wait here Torn!" she giggled, grabbing some material that distinctly resembled a dress and rushing into a curtained off area to get changed.

He waited for her to come out and pay for it, or come out and put it back on one of the numerous racks hanging around with clothes and other merchandise sprawled all over them, but what she ended up doing astounded him.

"How do I look?"

She came out of the changing curtain, with a simple but cute looking dress on.  
It was a dark purple colour, with spaghetti strap sleeves, and a slight slit on the right side. The cute smile she was wearing along with it didn't exactly help Torns nerves.

_'She looks utterly gorgeous...'_

Torn blinked. He had just thought that? Oh dear.

"You look..."  
_'Gorgeous. Beautiful. Cute.'_  
"Wonderful. Are you going to get that dress?"

Keiras face lit up, and she grinned.  
"You really like it? Should I get it?"

The older nodded, and chucked some money to the stall owner, taking her hand in his this time.

"Shall we go?"

She giggled, blushing as he held her hand, but they were savagely interrupted as gunshots echoed through the air, and "Torn! You and me, one on one, right here, right now!"

As Torn and Keira spun around to see who it was, they noticed patrons and customers alike huddling under various stalls, some lying dead.

Erol was standing opposite them, a wicked grin plastered on his face.

"Time to die Torn."


	12. What has Erol done

Bed of roses  
Chapter 12  
By shadows/of/flame 

OK, stressing out over dying my hair right now... Blond to brownish red isn't a big move is it? (is panicky)

* * *

Keira stood rooted to the spot, her new dress fluttering slightly in the wind. 

_'Erol...'_

Memories haunted her of when she had just arrived in Haven City, and Erol...

She shuddered, remembering.

All the times he had felt her up, all the times he had even touched her, it made her go mad.  
When she was working on his zoomers in the garage, or waitressing part time at the Hip Hig saloon...

Torn brushed past her, drawing his pistols, and a smirk crossed his face.

"Bring it on, ginger nuts."

Erol scowled at Torns comment.

"You'll wish you had never been born, traitor." he hissed, raising his pistol and making sure it was loaded properly.

He, of course, fired the first shot.

Keira screamed as the bullet brushed past her, grazing her shoulder.  
Erol noticed her and grinned savagely, pointing his pistol at her.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't my mechanic." he laughed, walking towards her.  
"Get away from me you filthy bastard." she hissed, taking a step back until she backed up against a stall.

"Oh come on now Keira, why are you wasting your time on a rebel like him? You're far too pretty to stoop to HIS level."

Keira gritted her teeth. "Am I not allowed to spend time with whoever I choose? With you taking advantage of me, did that pleasure get taken away too?"

It took a few minutes for the meaning of these words to sink in.

Torns mouth fell open.  
"What?" he hissed.

Keira averted her gaze from either man, and Erol stepped closer to her.  
"Yes, I guess it did." Erol grinned, brushing the tips of his fingers across her cheek.

"Now come with me, where you belong, and I won't kill this sap."

As though hypnotised, Keira walked to Erols side, and he grabbed her roughly by the arm, dragging her off.  
Torn started to panic - he had to do SOMETHING!

He grabbed Erol by the arm, but Erol chucked something heavy at his head.

Torns world spun around in endless spirals, and the last thing he saw was Keiras worried face before he fell into darkness.

0o0o0o0

Erol shoved Keira roughly onto his bed, growling.  
"I thought I told you NOT to tell ANYONE!" he hissed, advancing on her.

She whimpered - Torns money had gone to waste, as the dress hung in almost indecent tatters around her.

"I didn't tell anyone - you practically told him yourself!" she exclaimed.  
"Then why do you need a bodyguard?" he sneered, slapping her.

She winced, only thinking of Torn.  
He was probably lying out cold somewhere - after all, Erol HAD thrown a brick at his head!

"To be protected from you." she spat, and yet again that earned her a slap.

"I'll teach you not to mess with me." Erol snarled, and she screamed.

That night was filled with Keiras worst nightmares, and she could only scream and whimper as it drew on.  
It had happened before, but this time it was a lot worse.

A lot, lot worse.

She was free to go the next day, indecent though she was, she went straight to the Hip Hog, where her friend Tess worked.

"Keira? Hun?" Tess called from the backroom, poking her head out.

"Oh Mar! What happened to you? Come here so we can get you cleaned up!"

Keira didn't say a word as Tess ushered into the small staff bathroom that was in the back.

Tess flicked on the shower, and gave the shaken girl her set of towels, a flannel and some soap.  
"We'll talk when you're out, k?" Tess smiled, leaving Keira alone.

_'This cannot get much worse...'_ Keira concluded as she shakily stripped off the ruined dress, hopping into the shower and hoping all of her worries would be washed away.

Torn being bricked in the head by Erol replayed in her mind, and she shivered, wondering if the rebel was alright.  
She was worried what the Shadow would say when she had to tell him that the second-in-command had been bricked in the head, and that it was all her fault.

Tears slipped down her cheeks, and she sniffed. She had tried not to cry, but it was too hard.  
_Erol, Torn..._

She knew, that the war between them would not end in a very pretty way.

0o0o0o0

Torns vision was blurred; he didn't know where he was going as he stumbled around town aimlessly.

He wondered why several Krimzon Guards hadn't taken the chance while his guard was down to stick several bullets in him, but at the moment he really couldn't care less.

He had lost her - Keira! The one thing he was supposed to protect!

Well, not 'thing' but...

He could see some faint shapes, and the outline of a head on the wall, so he walked in that direction, hoping he could make it there without collapsing.

The head slid back, and without concentrating, Torn fell down the Undergrounds steps to find himself a heap at the bottom of the stairs by the Shadows feet.

"Keira..." he gasped, clutching his head as a wave of nausea swept over him.  
The Shadow just sighed, and before Torn keeled out of conciousness again, muttered "Poor girl. We can only begin to imagine what Erols done to her."


	13. Its serious

Bed of roses  
Chapter 13  
By shadows/of/flame 

OMG! I have so neglected this, well, I've been sick - sorry!  
Rape is mentioned in this chapter, just a warning.

* * *

Erol cackled. He was, overall, very very pleased with himself.  
He had caught Keiras stupid friend, and warped him so badly with dark eco so the young, innocent boy was no longer the same, young, caring person he had once been. 

He had betrayed Torn to Praxis, and as a result got him kicked out of the guard - well, Torn left, just before his own execution. AND he had taken over Torns spot as commander.

Oh the sweet nectar that was his revenge.

And lastly - Keira, the female mechanic, the one he was supposed to love.

Love. Hah. What a word. Erol had never used that word truthfully in his life.

He used her, just to get to the top, to get the trophy for all the races. To get publicity by having an unbeatable reputation on the track because of his illegally enhanced hovers no one but her knew about, for being crazy and wild.  
She used to always be there, ready with the winners big kiss.

Always.

He walked over to the window, and gazed out over the city - the city that would soon be his if he tried hard enough.

"ALERT! ALERT! The dark eco subject has escaped from prison! Alert! Alert!"

"Dammit!" Erol swore as he grabbed his gun, racing down the stairs.

The renegade had escaped.  
And now there would be trouble.

0o0o0

Tess and Keira were dining out for lunch, but Keira felt so dirty and untrue, that she couldn't bear to eat.

"Come on! Food will make you feel much better!" Tess urged, shoving a plate at Keira.  
"I was just raped Tess." Keira said hollowly, the usual twinkle in her eyes replaced with a dull look. "I don't think food is high on my priority list right now."

Tess reached over and placed a hand on her friends arm, knowing trying to reassure her wouldn't work at all.  
The trauma of rape was not one that would go away in a matter of minutes, days, or weeks. The blonde knew that all she could do was try to help Keira through this tough time.

"I have a better idea - how about we go and see the Shadow? He might know something about this, and what to do."  
Keira nodded ever so slowly after a while, and allowed Tess to lead her out of the cafe, not even bothering to pay the bill.

"HEY! Get them, they didn't pay!"  
Tess spun around, almost ripping off Keiras arm.  
"Dammit! I've stuffed up big time!" Tess cried, making Keira run faster.  
"We can't get to the Underground now - we'll have to hide somewhere until the Krimzon Guard leave us alone."

Keira was too dizzy and disorientated to care - she just let Tess drag her around, her feet thumping against the cracked concrete.  
After a while of running aimlessly through the streets trying to shake off the KG, they seemed to have succeeded, and Tess stopped slowly, trying not to rip off Keiras arm again.

"We're here. The Undergrounds just around the corner, come on."

The two girls started walking towards the door, but were stopped by a sleazy old man. Tess whipped out her gun and stuck it in the mans face, and he backed off, soon leaving them alone.

"Stupid beggars..." Tess muttered, putting the gun away, but Keira couldn't help but feel pity for the old man.

She had been like that when she first came to Haven City - begging for a place to stay, willing to cling to anyone to survive.  
Even Erol, and Krew as she had before she met Erol.

0o0o0

He didn't honestly know if Torn would retain his memory or not.  
All he could do was sit, and wait anxiously for signs of life from the injured rebel, checking every so often to see if a pulse was present.  
The Shadow could not help but wonder what had happened to Keira - did Erol have her? Was she safe?

A guilty feeling started burning in the pit of his stomach, as he discovered Torn had a fever. Great. Just great.

The door slid open, and Tess bowled into the room, Keira dragging behind her.  
"SHADOW!" Tess yelled, plonking down in the nearest seat and breathing heavily, trying to catch her breath.

The Shadow whipped his head around slowly, and almost died of relief as he saw Tess and a collapsed Keira slumped on the chairs surrounding the War Table.

"BE QUIET!" he hissed, taking Torns hand and feeling for a pulse.  
Tess soon saw why, and a hand flew up to her mouth. Keiras vision blurred, she didn't hear what the other two were saying as she fell into a fitful doze.

"What happened?" Tess gasped as she saw Torn lying crumpled under the sheets, asweat starting to cover his brow.  
"He was hit in the head with a brick. Hes got minor concussion, and a huge headwound. I only hope hes OK, and that he hasn't forgotten who we are when he wakes up."

Tess undid her shinguards, and unlaced her shoes, chucking them in the corner, and preparing for bed.  
"Hows Keira going to take it?" The Shadow murmured, looking from Torns pale face to Keiras thankfully oblivious one.

"This news might just take her over the edge." Tess replied, flicking back the covers of the nearest bunk.

As the Shadow gazed questioningly at her, Tess gave him a cryptic glare and replied, "Erol raped her."

A look of horror quickly replaced the Shadows worried one.  
"Hes going to pay."

* * *

Now that Jaks out of prison, things can move along! Yay! 


	14. Oh isn't he just easy to find

Bed of roses  
Chapter 14  
By shadows/of/flame

* * *

Jak jumped out of the small window in the prison wall, finding himself in a very disgusting looking city. For the first time in a few years, two to be exact, he looked in a window he passed and saw his reflection.

He hated what he saw.

Shoulder length blond hair replaced the short 'do that Keira had used to love running her hands through.  
Two years of being tortured, and in between injections nothing to do but exercise, had granted him a nice 6 pack and visible muscles on his arms.  
A goatee had wormed its way onto his chin despite his hate of the damn thing, but all the people with a razor in prison had been killed. Brutally killed might I add.

He hated himself, and knew that when he found Keira again, she'd hate him too.  
And the demon inside him that he was about to find the true strength of.

A young boy and what appeared to be his elderly grandfather were being harrassed by a Krimzon Guard, and Jaks hatred for the men in red spawned him to walk over and grab the man by the scruff of the neck.  
"What do you think you're doing?" he glared, making the KG shift uncomfortably.

"I... everyone here is hereby under arrest for harbouring underground fugitives. Surrender and die."

Daxters mouth fell open. "Aaah, excuse me sir, don't you mean surrender OR die?"

The old man gulped, trying to lead the young kid away.  
"Not in this city. Protect us from these guards, and I'll introduce you to someone who can help you."

Jaks anger overtook him, and it only took him a few minutes to transform into Dark Jak.  
The old mans mouth fell open as the dark creature ripped apart everyone and anyone in sight that was wearing red armour, and soon no KG were left to be seen.

"Thats... very impressive. Very impressive indeed." He muttered, slowly dragging the kid off.  
"Hey! You said that you'd help us!" Daxter glared, and the old man shifted uncomfortably under the ottsels gaze.  
"Oh... fine. Go to a dead end street by the city wall, and ask for Torn. Hes the only one that can help you right now."

Jak rolled his eyes as the old man shuffled off, hiding the kid under his robes.  
"So much for introducing us to 'Torn'." Jak muttered angrily, letting Daxter hop up onto his shoulder before he set off.

After finding many dead ended streets, and Daxter facing a lot of swearing and cursing, Jak eventually found the right dead ended street.

He hoped this was the right one anyway.

0o0o0

Tess saw a man in blue with what looked to be an orange rat on his shoulder, and decided to alert Keira. She ran down the stairs, and woke the blue haired mechanic up.  
"Keira! Keira! Theres a blond guy with a rat on his shoulder coming! What should we do?"

"We'd better not let him come in here." Keira replied, wiping the sleep quickly from her eyes and pulling on her boots. "We'd better go and see what he wants."

Tess was outside again in a flash, and truth be told, Jak hadn't even noticed her absence. She put on her mean face as he approached, and Jak looked around.  
"Is there a Torn here?" Jak asked cautiously, wishing he could shrink into the floor. He obviously wasn't welcome.

"Whos asking?" another voice came, and Jak looked around for the owner of the voice.  
"What, can't you even show me your face?" Jak sneered, and Keira came out from behind Tess, NOT looking happy.

"Heres my face, you happ- J-J-J-Jak?"

Jaks jaw dropped. "K-Ker"  
Tears slowly rolled down Keiras cheeks - was it really him? Sure he looked a little different, but...

She didn't know whether to race into his arms, and give him a huge hug, or just to stay where she was, speechless.

She didn't need to decide, as Jak made the first move.  
He swept her into a huge hug, burying his face in her shoulder.

"Jak..." she whispered, wrapping her arms around the renegade.  
Tess rolled her eyes and went inside the Underground, leaving them be for a wee while.

"Wh... where have you been these past two years? Whats happened? You've changed a lot." Keira finally said rather shyly, not knowing what to say around her oldest friend.

Jak broke the hug and held her at arms length, sighing.  
"I've been... held prisoner for two years. Praxis kidnapped me, and for two years hes been injecting me with dark eco. Obviously, if it wasn't for my eco channeling abilities, I'd be dead right now."

"Well... as long as you're safer now... we can find daddy and find a way to get back home, right"  
Jak slowly nodded, a bit of colour returning to his cheeks.

"Hey! Sugar plum! Don't I get a hello hug as well?" Daxter complained, and Keira just rolled her eyes at the rodent. "Sure, whatever Dax. Ask Tess, I'm sure that she'll be more than happy to "be-friend" you."

"Tess? Whos she? And you know Torn"  
Keira nodded.  
"Tess is my best girlfriend - shes been looking after me for one and a half years. And Torn... well... hes... my bodyguard."

Jaks eyes narrowed slightly. "Bodyguard? Why?"

Keiras eyes misted over - his harsh tone wasn't helping one bit. "I was receiving death threats a while back, AND I was raped, oh, only a few million times by this KG maniac, so they finally decided I needed a bodyguard." she said sourly.

Jak stepped back a bit, not letting go of her shoulders.  
"N-now bec-cause of Erol, Torns lying in a coma, probably half-dead..."

The name rung in Jaks ears, and he almost dropped his composure.

Torn was the reason that he was still alive.  
Torn was the one that had helped him in prison, made sure that he had the right food and care that he needed, even if he was banished from the KG for it.

"T... Torn... is he OK?" Jak asked desperately.  
She then remembered Torn telling her about how he had helped Jak.

A weak smile crossed her lips as she spoke. "H-hes alright. Erol threw a brick at his head, and he has a huge headwound, but the Shadows convinced he'll be fine."

"Convinced? CONVINCED? Hes CONVINCED himself that Torn will be alright?" Jak screamed, and Keiras calm composure was shaken.

Jak barely knew Torn, and he was yelling about him as though the world was ending? Didn't Keira have a bigger right to be worried?  
She let him yell, his hurtful words going straight over her head.

"And another thing..." he began, but the door slid open and Tess peered out.  
"Keira! New guy! Rat! The Shadow thinks he may have tracked Erol down!" she giggled excitedly.

"Oh isn't he just easy to find?" Jak said sarcastically.


	15. I'll always be here when you need me

Bed of Roses  
Chapter 15  
By shadows/of/flame

* * *

The words washed over Keira. They were going after the one thing in the world that she was afraid of. Well, apart from losing her friends, but you couldn't really go after that could you?

After flashing Jak and Tess a shaky smile, she nodded. "We'd better go and see what the Shadow has to say..." she murmured with a heavy heart. She was half convinced that something bad was going to happen to her if she went back there, and she was usually right.

Jak squeezed her hand tightly, causing electricity to spark between them. She squeezed back tightly, and heard him murmur; "We'll take care of Erol. You and me, we can both get revenge."

"T-Torn too." Keira finally managed to say, waving her hand down the stairs at a bed.  
The name rung in Jaks ears again.  
"The Shadow says hes got a minor concussion, but..." she clung to Jak, hiding her tears in his tunic.

"Bodyguard, right? Oh... from Erol"  
Keira nodded. "He was sending me death threats. So I asked the Shadow if I could have someone to take care of it..." she laughed, "and I got a bodyguard."

"I'm just glad you're alright..." Jak muttered, threading his hands through her hair. "If something had happened to you"  
A blush crept over Keiras face, and Daxter made gagging noises next to them.

"Oh do be quiet Daxter." Keira shushed, giggling. "We haven't seen each other in two years; are we not allowed to reunite?"

"No, because Tessy baby and the Shadow are a-waitin' us!" he said, dashing into the hideout.

"Whats the plan, and does it involve kicking the Barons ass?" Jak asked, and the look in his eyes scared Keira.  
The Shadow was, coincidentally, hidden in the shadows, and Jak couldn't see his face.

"Yes, actually, it does." the old man chuckled. "But Erol is, more surprisingly, a bigger threat to us than the Baron. Erol has already attacked Torn and Keira, and if Keira is as affected as she was before... to put it this way, we'd be doomed."

Jak cleared his throat, and everyone could swear the Shadow glared. "Ah, yes, and he experimented with dark eco on Jak. We a) cannot let any other people be experimented on, and b) cannot let anyone else get seriously injured."

The two, big beady eyes focused themselves on Tess.  
"Tess? Take the talking rodent, and serve at the bar tonight. Krew and Erol are having a meeting about the upcoming Class 1 races. See what you can find out - Daxter, hide close by. Tess, try to eavesdrop when you serve them."

Tess nodded, and Jak gratefully handed Daxter over, glad for some peace and quiet.  
And its not like Daxter minded either.

"Keira, I want you to take Jak to the Stadium and give him some training. Hoverboard, zoomer, whatever, hes rusty and that will need to be fixed."

She kenw why - Erol was a racer. They were going to need to get into the Palace to see the Baron, so Jak'd have to beat Erol to get the security pass. And hopefully kill the crazy racer in the process, but one was never so lucky.

"Yes sir."

Jak followed Keira outside, protesting as she jumped into the drivers seat of the two-seater zoomer. She grinned.  
"You don't have the keys, and the Shadows words are law."

As he reluctantly jumped into the passenger seat, inside the hideout two blue eyes cracked open.

"Oimdgishead..." the person muttered, coherent words not forming in his mouth, and instead a string of jumble coming out.  
Torn gently rubbed his eyes, hissing as it hurt, and cracked them open again to see if he could see anything.

Nope. Nothing, nada, not a thing.  
"Shadow... Keira...?"

0o0o0

"Jak, these are my zoomers from the past, except a little different. You have to concentrate"  
Keiras' green eyes bored into Jaks' blue ones, which meant he couldn't keep his eyes off her.  
"Jak... Earth to Jak..." she waved a hand in front of his face, hoping for a response.

Nothing.

She tried a different tactic, moving a step to the left. Only his eyes moved.  
She didn't know whether to be disgusted, annoyed, or pleased at this 'turn' of events.

"Jak! JAAAAAAK! Theres time for, er, other things later. Now is the time to think, and make your brain full of knowledge! The stuff you need some more of!"

This finally snapped Jak out of it, and he looked at Keira for a few seconds as though she was from another planet.

"Zoomer race. You and me, two laps around the track."

He nodded, sliding his goggles into place and jumping onto the zoomer.  
Keira got onto hers, and the lights flashed.

Three.  
Two.  
One...

GREEN!

She slammed down on the accelaration, zooming ahead of him. He rolled his eyes as she passed, but only just keeping ahead of him.

'She definitely has a few more dozen hours on these things under her belt...' he murmured to himself, trying to keep up with her.

She crosed the finish line only a few seconds before him, but a smug expression claimed her face all the same as she got out of her zoomer.

Jak got out of his and crossed his arms, grinning.  
"Well done. Looks like I need some practise." he grinned.  
"Serious practise." she giggled, and Jak took her hands in his.

"Will you help me then?" he asked her, making her heart rise in her chest.  
"Of course I will Jak! I'm your friend, remember?"

Jak nodded, a sad smile claiming his lips. "Friend huh..."

Torn groaned as he limped to the stadium door, quietly opening it and hoping not to disturb Jaks training.

"I'll always be here when you need me."

That was Keira. Torn stopped dead in his tracks.

"Of course."

Torn saw Jak claim Keiras lips; her kissing him back, and that, and the pain from his still fresh headwound, was all it took for him to fall into a dead faint onto the floor.

For his sake, Erol had better not find him before the others did.


	16. Where her heart lies

Bed of roses  
Chapter 16  
By shadows/of/flame

* * *

Keira and Jak were lost in each others lips, Jak even tentatively wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer.  
Jaks training was probably the furtherest from their mind at that very moment - this was the first kiss they had ever shared together.

Neither heard the footsteps clanking outside, nor the smirk that covered a certain ginger haired mans face as he found Torn slumped outside the door.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the almighty Torn! Having a little nap are we? I'll soon take care of that."  
He pulled out his gun, and was about to finish Torn off once and for all, but he could hear two voices, and decided to investigate.

He looked into the stadium, and saw Keira and...

"The eco freak." he breathed, his eyes narrowing.  
He looked at Torn, who was slowly being surrounded by a pool of blood, and snickered.

"I'll be back to finish you off, oh don't worry. And when I do..."

He gave Torn one final kick before turning on his heel and leaving the arena, not even caring that he had put a man on the edge of death.

Torn coughed as he opened his eyes, a sharp pain connecting with his stomach, and footsteps leading away.

_'I guess I fell unconcious here...'_ he thought wearily, standing up dizzily.  
He hadn't forgotten what had happened, and winced as tears ran down his cheeks.

Did he love Keira?

_'I suppose love was not something meant for me. After Ashelin left me...'_

He got unsteadily to his feet, the pain in his head and stomach almost making him fall over again.  
The pool of blood he had just pried himself from made him wince, and he started limping back to the Underground Headquarters.

Keira blushed as the pair pulled apart, and Jak just cupped her face in his cheeks.  
"Embarrassed?" he chuckled, and she smiled.

"No, not really. No one saw us. As much as I hate to say it, we should get on with your training..."

Jak sighed, folding his arms.  
"What next, Miss Hagai?" he teased, making her laugh.

0o0o0

Tess and Daxter were somewhat happily talking on their way back form the Hip Hog Saloon, talking about what Erol and Krew were planning.

"So, Krews going to bet heaps of money on Erol to win the Class 1 race?" Tess pondered aloud, munching on a stick of chewing gum.

"Yep! Thats right baby, so we needa go back to the hideout and tell the head honcho pronto!"

Tess giggled - even though she had just met Daxter, she was beginning to get along rather well with him.

Daxter was walking along, talking to Tess about underpants of all things, when he stopped dead.

They were by the stadium, and there was a thin trail of blood leading from the stadium, up a flight of stairs, and around a corner to a dead end.

"Got your gun, baby?" Daxter said, but his voice was hardly stable.  
"Lets go and check it out." Tess whispered, careful to avoid the blood as she walked up the stairs.

Daxter hopped up on her shoulder as she drew her gun, walking slowly around the corner, and he almost screamed.

Torn was lying, unconcious by one of Jaks wanted posters, and he was very pale.

_...so...pale..._

"Torn!" Tess exclaimed, hastily holstering her gun and running to his aide.  
The bandages on his head were gone, and his shirt was torn, revealing rather nasty bruising on his stomach.

Daxter pulled out a first aid kit and handed it to Tess, as she murmured "He was awake? How did he get out of the hideout without the Shadow noticing? And how did he get that bruising?"

"No idea..." the ottsel breathed as Tess tended to his headwound as best she could, and bound his ribs.

Daxter scuttled to the edge of the steps again, and he saw Jak and Keira, leaving the stadium, hands clasped tightly together.

"Tessie! Its... Jak and Keira are... together?"

A hand flew to Tess' mouth - the trail of blood was leading to the stadium, so... what had Torn seen?

"We have to get Torn out of here before they come." the blonde woman said firmly, lifting the frail guard into her arms.

"Daxter, distract them, anything while I get him out of sight!"

"Sure thing honey." Daxter replied, rushing over to the pair.

"Hey!" Daxter called, and Jak smiled.

"Daxter! How'd the meeting go? What did you find out?"

"Me and Tessie'll tell you when we tell the Shadow. No point in getting ahead of ourselves. And..." he raised an eyebrow at the pairs clasped hands, "I'm not assuming much work was done?"

Both blushed.

"Well, you see..." Keira began.

"Save it! I need to go and find Tessie, she needs me." the ottsel replied, glancing behind him to see where Tess was.

She was out of sight.

"Gotta run!"

Before either could comment, Daxter had dashed off towards where Tess had taken Torn.  
The pair hadn't noticed the blood, and coincidentally, it started raining heavily.

"We'd better get back before we get soaked." Keira giggled, trying to keep up with Jak as he hurried towards a covered zoomer.

He stopped suddenly, and she stopped too, looking into his eyes.  
Droplets of rain flecked his hair and clothing, making his usually wild hair tame a little.  
She ran her hands though his locks, a small smile gracing her face.

"Jak! We need to be there for the Shadows meeting..."  
He nodded reluctantly, pressing a brief kiss to her lips before getting into the zoomer, hotwiring it.  
She watched, amazed. In a mere few days he had learned how to hotwire a vehicle, and it had taken her a few weeks, months even!

_'A proper kiss in the rain would have been so romantic...'_ she thought to herself as she jumped in beside him.

0o0o0

"Shadow! SHADOW!" Tess yelled rather frustratedly, putting Torn on the nearest cot.  
She was absolutely furious that the sage had let Torn go out and get more injured.

"Ahh, Tess, you have returned."  
The old man looked at her questioningly behind huge glasses, awaiting her to say something.

"YOU let TORN LEAVE the HIDEOUT!" she yelled.  
His brow furrowed. "Well, I apologise, and obviously he is in worse shape than before."

"I have the report on the meeting, but Jaks... he was kissing Keira, and I think Torn saw! Its not going to do him any good, what are we going to do?"

"That is indeed troubling. Torn got very attached to Keira, and if shes with Jak..."

Tess noticed that the Shadow seemed very mad, and as soon as he saw Jak step foot in the hideout, he exclaimed "You. I have a mission of much importance that needs doing."

Jak blinked, wondering if he had done anything wrong.

"Go and take this package to Krew. Its an eco shipment, he needs it urgently. NOW GO! You've wasted enough time just standing there!"

Jak flinched, picking up Daxter and heading immediately for the door, forgetting about Keira.

"Wasn't that a bit harsh?" Keira exclaimed, and the Shadow glared at her.  
"No. He had been standing there too long, he needed to get off his backside." the sage said through gritted teeth, harnessing some green eco to help Torn heal.

"Aren't you unusually cheerful." Tess grumbled, wrapping some more bandages around Torns head.

"What do you mean?" Keira said sharply.  
"You were assaulted by Erol, and now you're acting as happy as a newlywed."

"Oh... I suppose... well, Jak and I... we're..."

"Going out? In love? Goo goo- gaga for each other? Head over heels?" The Shadow offered, and Keira nearly fell off her chair.

"How did you..."

"Oh, we were told." Tess said rather smugly.

"By who?" Keira squeaked.

"Torn."

And just as if he heard his name, the green eco healed his wounds, and Torns eyes cracked open.

The three turned their heads as a groan emitted from the bed he was in.

"You're awake!" Tess squealed, throwing her arms around the brunette.

"Yeah... I'm alive and well." he smirked, hugging her back.  
"How long have I been out for?"

The blonde sighed as she poured him a glass of water, handing the glass to him.  
"A few days. You somehow found your way to the stadium in that time too."

His brow furrowed as he remembered what he had seen there.  
"Shadow, whats my next mission?" he asked.

"Well, since Keiras already got a boyfriend for a bodyguard, I'll have to assign you another mission. Maybe one Sig can help you on."

Keira could almost see Torns heart sink, and his usually vibrant blue eyes darkened.

"Sure thing."  
"Just get some rest, kay?" Tess smiled, getting off his bed and going back to her cleaning duties.

He was asleep without a protest, and the mechanic wondered, for the first time in a while, where her heart truly lay.


	17. Watch The Sky For Me

Bed of Roses  
Chapter 17  
By shadows/of/flame

Ang$T!

* * *

Keira tentatively sat beside Torn's bedside as he slept, brushing some hair out of his eyes.

"Hey, Torn, I..."

She sighed.

"My feelings are mixed right now... Jak came back, he's my childhood friend, I hadn't seen him in two years! I guess... I guess I'm just confused right now."

Keira stopped to pull herself together, taking deep and slow breaths.

She didn't notice Torn had woken up.

"My heart's telling me I'm supposed to be with you! Maybe... just maybe... I've fallen for you tough guy... I'd better go, Shadow wants me for an important mission."

She let go of his hand, giving him a sad smile as she left the room.

0o0o0

Jak was waiting at the Hip Hog Saloon for her, and he pressed a kiss to her lips as soon as she was in range of his.

"Hey Keira! Ready to go?" he smiled, pressing a gun into her waiting hands.

"Sure. Lets go and bag us some invisible metal heads."

The pair walked together through the thriving city, trying not to draw attention to themselves.

Daxter had tagged along too, and he was perched on Jak's shoulder that wasn't connected to the arm around Keira's waist.

To any nosy passers by, they were just like any other couple.

Jak and Keira reached the airlock, and the blond renegade took the hoverboard from its rack.

"You ready to rock?" he smirked, and she cocked her gun, grinning.

"Daxter, watch Keira's six. You know I can hold my own." he grinned. She glared.

"What's THAT supposed to mean?"

He just chuckled.

As they reached the forest, both found it extremely difficult to sense or hear the metal heads, and only by Daxter's watchful eye did the two not get beheaded a few times.

But as their minds wandered to other things, and Jak's hands wandered to Keira's waist, none of the trio saw the invisible metal head sneaking up behind Jak.

0o0o0

Torn sat up on the Underground roof, his eyes closed.

Dusk was falling - shouldn't the two be back from their mission?

What should he care?

...WHY did he care?

Was it Keira? Was it because of her words?  
_"Maybe... just maybe... I've fallen for you tough guy."_

He didn't know. She was Jak's now. His mind was clouded, he was always tired, thinking...

_What if...  
What if..._

Torn hoped he would find the answer soon, but it came to him in a way no one would have ever expected.

0o0o0

The metal head screeched loudly, burying its claws deep into the earth, causing a huge crack to start splitting it.

"JAK! WATCH OUT!"

Jak was standing right on that split, unaware of what was happening.

The metal head started plunging into the hole it had created, and Keira's eyes widened as the metal head fell to its death...

...taking Jak with it.

When the renegade had finally registered what was happening, it was too late. He had started to fall.

Keira ran forward, desperately trying to save her lover from death, but his hand slowly slipped from her grasp.

"...JAAAAAAK!"

_Down...  
down..._

_...down..._

_...down..._

Tears slipped down Keira's cheeks, and Daxter clumsily clambered into her lap, shaking.

Jak... was dead?

Daxter's best friend... gone?

He would never believe it.

"No-! He- he can't be gone! P-please..."  
The mechanic's cries petered out, and Daxter couldn't help but feel sorrow.

...Jak... dead?

"...come on Keira, we'd better get back to the city..."

Keira saw Jak's scarf caught on the side of a low hanging branch, and she started to sob, clinging to it as the reality hit her like a ton of bricks.

Jak was gone.

They would never share another kiss, never share another anything.

.:.I.love.you.:.

0o0o0

The ex commander's eyes closed drowsily; he was deep in a dream, one he never wanted to leave the safety of.

But, unfortunately, sleep and dreams never last forever.

"Well, how did the mission go?"

"All of the metal heads have been taken care of..."

"Wh-wheres Jak?"

Torn froze - something had happened to Jak?

"He-he-" he could hear Keira, her voice cracking, "He fell down, a crevasse, a metal head..."

The brunette heard her fleeting footsteps and her sobs of anguish as she fled to her room.

Guilt and slight anger welled up inside him - Jak may have been gone, but now Keira would be overcome with grief for him, and forget what she had said to him.

He clambered off the roof, slid down the ladder, and went quickly into his room.

His chest ached - green eco could remove headwounds and cuts, but it couldn't remove the intense bruising Erol had left.

He prepared tiredly for bed, sliding under the warm blankets of his bed with no more than a pair of boxers, a singlet and his scarf on - why couldn't he get Jaks death off his mind?

A few hours later... "Torn?"

_Her.  
_Why was she there?

She immediately fell into his arms, clinging to him. He was surprised, to say the least as tears soaked his singlet.

"I... I'm sorry." she sobbed. "Jak's gone, and I just needed someone to... look after me."

Look after her? He wasn't a baby-sitter.

But he knew a piece of her heart belonged to Jak - it always would.

But he could at least help her rebuild.

Just a little bit.

0o0o0

_Light streamed into the crevass, and a pair of blue eyes opened, immediately wincing._

_The metal head lay dead beside him, but its body wasn't in as bad as shape as his._

_At least IT had had a quick and painless death._

_The look of horror in Keira's eyes as he had fallen hurt him more than his injuries._

_He HAD to get back to her, no matter what._


End file.
